A masterful century from marquee signing Steve Smith has lifted the Sydney Sixers to the top of the BBL ladder following a 59-run win over the Adelaide Strikers in Coffs Harbour.
In his second game back from a three-year BBL hiatus, Smith (101 from 56 deliveries) equalled his highest score in T20 cricket and joined forces with Kurtis Patterson (43) to forge the largest partnership of the BBL summer after the Sixers were sent in on Tuesday night.
The ton, the first ever by a Sydney Sixers batsman, continued a blustering summer at the crease for Smith that also yielded an unbeaten 200 against the West Indies and a century against South Africa.
Smith’s innings, the equal-best of the BBL summer, came to an end when he scrapped plans to sneak a second run but slipped as he turned back to his crease, only to be run out by Matt Short.
Steve Smith celebrates his century (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
“I was pretty much going to try and hit every ball for six from there on, when I got out,” Smith told Fox.
“That happens. It was a good total and the boys defended it really nicely.
“It’s been nice to be back.”
On a batter-friendly deck, the Sixers still had some work to do to defend their total of 5-203.
But called in to replace Nathan Lyon (knee soreness), India-bound spinner Todd Murphy had a hand in three quick wickets and finished with the best figures of his young BBL career (3-35) to make the equation easier.
Ben Dwarshuis (3-28) bowled Alex Carey on 54 to put the final nail in the coffin.
The loss means the Strikers desperately need to defeat the second-placed Perth Scorchers this Friday to keep their finals hopes alive.
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The Strikers missed three early chances to dismiss Smith. Most notably, the ball rolled slowly from Smith’s bat onto the stumps but failed to dislodge the bails, so the former Test captain survived.
Smith then went into overdrive, kickstarting his innings with consecutive boundaries off Wes Agar and bringing his half-century up with a four past deep point.
For the longest time told he was unsuited to the shortest format, Smith looked comfortable at the crease and with opening the batting – something he has never done at T20I level.
With the last ball before the drinks break, Smith equalled his previous BBL high-score of 66 and then became the third man this summer to hit a BBL century with a six over deep backward square leg.
The Sixers lost Smith, Patterson and captain Moises Henriques in the space of six balls but a late cameo from Jordan Silk (31 not out) ensured the total would finish as an imposing one.
With no Chris Lynn, Short designated himself chief agitator after Test firebrand Travis Head was caught by Sixers wicketkeeper Josh Philippe for five.
But he slogged Murphy to deep square leg where he was caught by Patterson on 40, leaving the Strikers in search of another leader.
They found one in Carey, who kept the Strikers ticking along after the quick losses of Adam Hose (caught off Murphy’s bowling) and Colin de Grandhomme (run out by Smith during the same over as Hose went).
Carey made the most of the short boundaries to reach a half-century in his second game back from Test duty before Dwarshuis’ yorker crashed into his stumps. The Strikers were all out for 144 in the 19th over.
“I was really happy with the bowling performance because it was a very good batting wicket. I thought we were really clinical,” Henriques told Fox.
Lyon is expected to be available to face the Sydney Thunder this Saturday, with the Sixers telling AAP he was rested as a precaution ahead of the upcoming India tour.
Warner meeting on Smith’s radar
Steve Smith’s batting masterclass has thrown the gauntlet down ahead of his meeting with longtime Australian teammate David Warner – but the Sydney Sixers’ marquee man has predicted runs might not come so easily this weekend.
Smith equalled his highest-ever T20 score in the Sixers’ defeat of the Adelaide Strikers in Coffs Harbour on Tuesday, belting 101 from 56 deliveries to help hoist his side to the top of the Big Bash ladder.
The knock was a vindication on multiple levels, not least of the extra money forked out by Cricket Australia to lure Smith back to the BBL.
It was also proof that adjustments to Smith’s batting technique have transferred over to T20 cricket, and showed why he’s still a masterly T20 player despite falling out of favour in the Australian set-up.
While Smith shone on a batter-friendly deck in Coffs Harbour, the SCG is set to pose different challenges for the former Test captain when the Sixers host the Thunder for the next edition of the Sydney Smash on Saturday night.
Runs have been harder to come by at the hallowed ground this summer – the 151 that the Sixers posted against the Perth Scorchers on Sunday was the equal highest score from four games there so far.
A wicket has not yet been confirmed for the next game but AAP understands Cricket NSW will likely use the same deck as in the Scorchers game.
As he prepares to face Warner at BBL level for the first time since December 2013, Smith is bracing himself for the possibility of another dogfight.
“I don’t know what sort of wicket we’ll get, the last one was pretty slow,” he told Fox.
“I think we might be on the same one so it could be another grinding game.”
After the win over the Strikers, Smith shrugged off suggestions he would be hoping to get one over his Test teammate Warner but said he was relishing the chance to be back in magenta after three years away.
“We play to win every game so hopefully we can have another good night,” Smith said.
“It should be a good game.
“It’s been nice to be back. I’ve been involved with the franchise since day one. It’s a great bunch of guys and a great vibe around the group. I’m really enjoying it.”
Anderson to fight fire with fire in Ashes
The ageless James Anderson is already licking his lips at the prospect of an “explosive” Ashes summer.
Anderson’s tally of 177 Test caps puts him second on the all-time list behind India’s Sachin Tendulkar but, at the age of 40, he is still weighing up future challenges rather than reliving past glories.
Newcomers and veterans alike have been energised by England’s new attacking approach and Anderson anticipates a blockbuster series when Australia arrive later this year.
“It’s exciting to be in this team. Whoever we play it’s going to be fun, we’re going to give it a good crack and Australia in the summer could just be incredible,” he said. “I can’t see them (the Australians) doing anything but going toe-to-toe. They’re going to fight fire with fire and that’s going to make it so explosive and exciting.
“There is something wrong with you as a player if you didn’t enjoy this way we’re playing.”
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
In December, Anderson celebrated his 20th year as an international player, the last five of which he has spent co-hosting a BBC podcast alongside DJ Greg James and former Maccabees guitarist Felix White.
“It’s constantly thinking and talking about the game in a positive way – so, yes, it has reinvigorated me,” Anderson said.
“I reckon their love for the game has actually reinvigorated my love for it. Definitely these last few years.”
Enjoying his job has been even easier since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum overhauled England’s entire approach and, with it, their results.
Stripping away fear of failure and replacing it with a desire to entertain has carried the team to nine wins from 10 Tests.
Anderson, though, could easily have walked away before Stokes’ revolution even began, having been surprisingly dropped alongside Stuart Broad for the preceding tour of the West Indies.
“There was definitely a moment when I thought that could be it. There was a bit of anger and disappointment,” he said.
“I was just trying to make sense of it and not make any rash decisions.”